Just as the industrial revolution created a need for new language to describe emerging technologies, the Nissan LEAF, the first mass-produced all-electric vehicle, required a new kind of website.

Canadian agency Critical Mass created an integrated online campaign for the Leaf using cutting-edge technology that not only educates consumers about the car, but also serves up a new way to sell cars, making it our Interactive Design Awards Best of Show winner.

The campaign includes an HTML5 website that works as a knowledge base and sales brochure, a YouTube channel that lets users see the car up close, and Twitter and Facebook accounts for getting immediate info. “The thousands of questions we answered online far exceeded our expectations,” says planning director Chrissie Graboski. “The online reservation system took more orders in less time than we ever dreamed. All of this meant we had to be very flexible and on our toes.”

The website leads you through a series of questions to determine whether your driving habits, home and community make you a good match for the LEAF. The site is also the only channel for reserving a car.

Rather than playing the obvious green card, the creative team developed a visual style they call “sexy science.” At first they’d assumed they would target mainly people motivated by climate change and sustainability, but it turned out the main audience was actually early adopters. “We wanted to be intellectual, but not too academic,” says creative director Steve Savic. “And certainly, we wanted to be informative and beautiful. We were inspired by things like information graphics and data visualization.” This aesthetic was replicated across all channels the LEAF touched—broadcast, social media, print and web.

“Across the board, the visuals and interactivity work well with the product,” says Interactive Awards judge Tyson Damman of Big Spaceship. “The scale of this project goes well beyond those of most other entries, yet stays powerful across so many channels.”

The campaign was a whopping success: The initial run of 20,000 cars sold out three months ahead of schedule, with 5,000 reservations placed on the first day.